Monthly Archives

September 2024

37 militants linked to the extremist Islamic State group were killed in two separate strikes

37 militants linked to the extremist Islamic State group were killed in two separate strikes

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Unbiased headline news – In Syria, 37 militants linked to the extremist Islamic State group and an al-Qaeda-affiliated faction were killed in two separate strikes, according to the United States military. Two of the dead were identified as senior militants, the military said. U.S. Central Command reported that a strike in northwestern Syria on Tuesday targeted a high-ranking militant from the al-Qaeda-affiliated Hurras al-Deen group along with eight others. The militant was said to be responsible for managing military operations. — Tens of thousands of South Koreans, along with members of the Korean diaspora, marched and rallied today in support of Korean unification and the freedom of North Korean citizens at the Imjingak Peace Park. The event took place seven kilometers from the DMZ and coincided with Korea’s National Foundation Day, officially observed on October 3. Dubbed the 2024 Korean Dream Grand March for a Unified Korea, the event was organized by Action for Korea United, the nation’s largest coalition of civil society groups advocating for Korean unification. — Eleven hours after the successful launch of its Crew 9 spacecraft, which is tasked with retrieving two stranded astronauts from the International Space Station, SpaceX announced it has paused future launches due to an issue with the second stage’s deorbiting. The company posted on X: “After today’s successful Crew-9 launch, Falcon 9’s second stage was disposed of in the ocean as planned, but experienced an off-nominal deorbit burn. As a result, the second stage landed safely in the ocean, though outside the designated area. We will resume launches once we have a clearer understanding of the root cause.” — Some residents east of Atlanta were evacuated, while others were instructed to shelter in place to avoid exposure to a chemical plume caused by a fire at a chemical plant. Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel told reporters that the fire started around 5 a.m. Sunday at the BioLab plant in Conyers when a sprinkler system malfunctioned. Water mixed with a water-reactive chemical, creating a plume. The fire chief stated that the specific chemicals involved were not immediately known. — A Long Island man, who was about to be arrested for drunk driving, escaped police custody by slipping his handcuffs over his head and stealing a patrol car, New York police reported. The man was later captured in a cemetery miles away and arrested once again. The 37-year-old suspect was initially pulled over by state troopers at around 5:30 a.m. Friday on suspicion of driving under the influence. After failing a sobriety test, he was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police vehicle, officials said. — Several people were killed when a single-engine plane crashed into the woods near the Wright Brothers National Memorial’s First Flight Airport in North Carolina. The crash occurred at approximately 5 PM on Saturday, according to a National Park Service press release. The exact number of victims and their identities have not been released. Witnesses reported the plane was attempting to land at the airport when it crashed, according to the NPS. The aircraft caught fire following the crash, which was later extinguished.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other commanders were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Beirut

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other commanders were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Beirut

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Unbiased headline news – Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and several other commanders were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Beirut, both the group and Israeli officials confirmed on Saturday. Following his death, Israel continued launching strikes on the city. ## Iranian state media reported Saturday that an Iranian Revolutionary Guard general, Abbas Nilforoushan, was also killed in the same Israeli airstrike. Nilforoushan, the IRGC deputy commander for operations, had been sanctioned by the U.S. for his involvement in suppressing protests in Iran. * * * Three days ahead of his communist government’s 75th anniversary, China’s foreign minister cautioned world leaders on Saturday against “expanding the battlefield” in Russia’s war with Ukraine, reaffirming China’s commitment to shuttle diplomacy in seeking to bring the conflict to an end. ## “The top priority is to commit to no expansion of the battlefield. … China is dedicated to playing a constructive role,” said Wang Yi. He also warned against other countries “throwing oil on the fire or exploiting the situation for selfish gains,” an apparent reference to the United States. * * * On Friday, the U.S. and Iraq announced an agreement to conclude the anti-ISIS coalition’s military presence in Iraq within two years, potentially reducing the 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq, while retaining 900 troops in northeast Syria. U.S. officials emphasized that the agreement doesn’t represent a full U.S. troop withdrawal but a shift to a new U.S.-Iraq military relationship, distinct from the coalition. In a joint statement, the U.S. and Iraq outlined a timeline for ending the coalition’s presence in Iraq no later than September 2025. * * * Two Georgia police officers were injured, and a man was killed during a shooting inside a suburban Atlanta store, which bills itself as the world’s largest gun shop. ## Smyrna Police Chief Keith Zgonc stated that the officers were responding to gunfire reports and a suspected burglary around midnight when they found the suspect inside Adventure Outdoors, a store with more than 18,000 firearms. “When officers arrived, they encountered an armed suspect inside the store … gunfire broke out between the suspect and officers,” Zgonc said, adding that two officers were wounded, and the suspect was killed. * * * A jury has ruled in favor of three women who claimed they were sexually abused as patients at a Virginia children’s hospital, awarding them $300 million in damages. ## The Richmond Circuit Court jury awarded each woman $60 million in compensatory damages and $40 million in punitive damages on Friday, according to WTVR-TV. A total of 46 former patients have filed lawsuits against the Cumberland Hospital for Children and Adolescents and its medical director, Dr. Daniel Davidow, for abuse at the New Kent facility. * * * WW International announced on Friday that CEO Sima Sistani would be stepping down immediately, with Tara Comonte, a WeightWatchers board member and former Shake Shack executive, assuming the role of interim chief executive. The New York-based weight loss company didn’t disclose the reason for the sudden leadership change but noted that Comonte’s appointment comes as the company focuses on “improving its operational and financial performance.” Founded over 60 years ago, WeightWatchers has recently faced financial challenges, with profits declining and expenses increasing from restructuring efforts.

Hurricane Helene intensified into a dangerous Category 4 storm

Hurricane Helene intensified into a dangerous Category 4 storm

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Hurricane Helene intensified into a dangerous Category 4 storm in the Gulf of Mexico before hitting Florida’s Big Bend area late Thursday night. The National Hurricane Center in Miami warned of “catastrophic and deadly” storm surge, which could reach up to 20 feet in certain regions, along with powerful, destructive winds. Over 1.1 million customers in Florida are without power, according to utility tracker PowerOutage.us, with another 70,000 outages reported in Georgia. Multiple weather-related fatalities have been linked to Helene. Two people were killed in Wheeler County, Georgia, according to county coroner Ted Mercer, who told CBS News by phone. No further details were released. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced during a late-night news briefing that one person died in the Tampa area when a traffic sign struck a vehicle. DeSantis stated that around 3,500 National Guardsmen were ready to assist with emergencies.

This election could be the closest presidential contest since 1876

This election could be the closest presidential contest since 1876

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Unbiased headline news – This election could be the closest presidential contest since 1876, but a normal polling error could also result in a decisive victory for one candidate. According to 538’s latest election forecast, Vice President Kamala Harris holds a 57-in-100 chance of winning the upcoming election in November, while former President Donald Trump stands at 42-in-100. This suggests the race is essentially a toss-up, as both polling data and underlying factors—what 538 calls “the fundamentals”—indicate that either candidate could easily prevail come November. — The Pentagon announced Monday that additional U.S. troops will be deployed to the Middle East as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies, and the European Union warns it is turning into a “full-fledged war.” Department of Defense press secretary Major General Pat Ryder informed reporters during a press briefing that “a small number of additional U.S. military personnel” would be sent to the region “to support our existing forces.” Ryder did not provide details on the number of troops or whether extra equipment like ships or aircraft would accompany them. — Over the weekend, U.N. discussions continued, while the U.S. Secretary of State met with officials from Ukraine and Italy to reaffirm support for Ukraine’s energy sector. During their fifth meeting, the G7+ Ministerial Group gathered amid the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York. At the meeting, the group emphasized “our unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s brutal and unjust attacks on Ukraine and its energy infrastructure,” according to a joint statements. — Caroline Ellison, a central witness in the conviction of FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried, was sentenced Tuesday to two years in prison for her involvement in one of the largest financial fraud cases in history. The 29-year-old former crypto executive pleaded guilty to multiple charges in connection with the federal fraud and conspiracy case tied to the cryptocurrency platform. Ellison cooperated with prosecutors, providing key testimony during the trial of Bankman-Fried, who is also her former boyfriend. — NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre revealed he was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease while testifying Tuesday before the House Ways and Means Committee. Favre appeared before the committee as part of an investigation into the misuse of welfare funds in Mississippi, a scandal that has tarnished the former Green Bay Packers star after his retirement. At the hearing titled, “Reforming Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: States’ Misuse of Welfare Funds Leaves Poor Families Behind,” Favre criticized state officials for failing to safeguard federal TANF funds from fraud and abuse. — The U.S. Justice Department has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Visa, accusing the company of using its market dominance to suppress competition in the debit card industry. The lawsuit alleges that Visa’s practices harm consumers and businesses by inflating costs. According to the complaint, Visa penalizes merchants and banks that opt for alternatives to Visa’s own payment processing systems for debit transactions, despite the availability of other technologies.